


Colours

by LucilleFuhrArt



Series: Hannigram One Shots [4]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 01:51:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16108298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucilleFuhrArt/pseuds/LucilleFuhrArt
Summary: Inspired by the song Colors by Halsey





	Colours

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song Colors by Halsey

~*~*~*~*~

Hannibal Lecter, being a psychiatrist, had seen many people with many different colours in his lifetime, but none such a brilliant shade of blue as Will Graham.

Your little brother never tells you but he loves you so

Everyone was different. He'd seen greens as dark as the forest or as light as the grass, oranges like the setting sun, and violets soft as silk. But with his area of work, he dealt mostly with people who were red. Hannibal himself was even a darker shade of the colour.

But Will was his first blue.

You said your mother only smiled on her TV show

Colour wasn't something that made a person. It wasn't their skin colour, it wasn't in their hair, or what they wore. Colour was found more in the little things, that one might miss if not paid enough attention to.

When it came to Will, Hannibal found it in the light that reflected off his skin, it radiated off him when he smiled, and in his words when he spoke about his life. It was unlike anyone he'd ever met before. Will Graham had taken over his world.

You're only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope

But Will was only his patient. Hannibal had been hired by Jack Crawford and the FBI to make sure their empath stayed sane while he worked cases for them. But he had already been damaged.

Will dealt with huge amount of fear every day. On top of that, he didn't always save everyone. Those two factors were weighing him down, watering down the blue that Hannibal couldn't help but love. 

I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old

Hannibal looked forward for their every appointment, and made excuses to go to the Bureau as often as he could just to see the younger man. There were days when he couldn't focus on other patients, because he'd been reminded of Will, and couldn't get his mind off him.

It was safe to say that Hannibal was in love with Will. But he couldn't tell if the younger man felt the same way

It was one evening when Hannibal had invited Will over for dinner that he decided to ask.

You're dripping like a saturated sunrise

It wasn't the first time that Will had been to Hannibal's house for dinner. He'd been both for a parties and privately. But that day it was just Will and Hannibal, and the older man had served a special meal for the occasion. His personal favourite. 

They had been discussing Will's job when the room fell silent. Hannibal knew that that was the time.

Nerves bubbling in his stomach, he couldn't continue eating at the thought of telling Will how he felt. He set his fork and knife down on either side of his plate before speaking.

"What are your feelings of me, Will?"

"As a psychiatrist? Or a friend?"

"Neither. I have always found you to be quite fascinating, but recently I have begun to think of you and I as something more than just psychiatrist and patient. More than friends even," Hannibal explained.

Will set his utensils down just as Hannibal had, he looked shocked.

You're spilling like an overflowing sink

"What do you mean, Doctor Lecter?"

"I believe it's called love."

Will hesitated for a moment. It had only been a second, but to Hannibal it felt like centuries.

"Are you in love with me?"

"Yes."

"So am I. In love with you I mean."

Hannibal was surprised, though he shouldn't have been. Together they finished their meals, discussing the strange emotion of love. When they were finished, they moved to the kitchen.

You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece

Will was the one to initiate the kiss. Hannibal hadn't been expecting it to come so quick.

Will laced his fingers around the back of Hannibal's neck and forced their lips together gently. He was taken slightly aback, and tried to pull away at first. But when Will moved his hands from Hannibal's neck and pulled on his suit jacket, forcing himself closer, he allowed himself to get lost in the kiss. 

Will moved quickly, running his tongue along Hannibal's bottom lip, and the older man opened his mouth. As Hannibal wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist and pulled him closer, Will moved his arms around the other man's neck and tangled his fingers in the other's short hair, tugging on it gently. His teeth grazed Hannibal's lip as the kiss became more and more frantic. 

And now I'm tearing through the pages and the ink

Will broke away from the kiss, trying to get rid of Hannibal's suit jacket, breath hot against the other's skin. Together they removed the older man's jacket and Will threw it to the ground.

Hannibal stiffened at Will's actions, but the younger man grabbed him underneath his chin and redirected his attention back to the two of them.

"I don't want you paying attention to anything but me," Will hissed, lips over lips, taunting the older man.

Hannibal brought his lips down on Will's, and his hands began to undo the buttons of Will's shirt, exposing his bare chest.

The older man broke away from the kiss, and planted a gentle one on Will's cheek.

"I think we should get out of the kitchen," he whispered against the other's skin.

Will smiled, between heavy breaths he replied, "I agree."

You were a vision in the morning when the light came through

Hannibal was the first one awake the next morning, not used to the sensation of having someone in his arms. His bare skin touching the other man's, and his chest against Will's back, made Hannibal's heart flutter in his chest. He nuzzled into the crook of his neck, and kissed it softly, trying not to wake him. 

Hannibal opened his eyes for the first time that morning to be greeted by the reflection of a soft lilac colour reflecting off the two of them in the light. He wasn't surprised. He knew that the two of them were meant for each other, and often fantasized about this situation. 

The older man lifted his head and kissed Will on his ear, then moved down along his jawline. Will stirred, as the hand that was wrapped tightly around Hannibal's wrist squeezed it briefly before leaning back into his chest and nuzzling his head back into the other's shoulder.

I know I've only felt religion when I've lied with you

Hannibal dared not move in waiting for Will to wake up. Occasionally he would stir, or change his position, but he never woke. It took three hours for the younger man to finally return to him.

"Good morning," Hannibal said once he was certain Will was awake, kissing him gently along his jaw.

He turned slowly into his back, still drowsy from sleep. Hannibal ran his thumb along the short hairs on his chin and jaw, but Will brushed him away and sat up.

"I have to go to work," He said as he got out of bed and began to throw on his clothes. Hannibal sat up, but made no move to do the same.

"Do you see it?" Hannibal asked.

"See what?" 

"The colours. We've changed. We're the same now. It won't last forever, but it will come back when we're with each other, I've seen many similar cases in some of my patients. Where their colours have merged after being with someone they love." 

Will froze in the doorway on his way out of Hannibal's room, now fully dressed. Without looking at the other, he replied, "I-I don't. I'm still the same blue I've always been."

And then he left.

You said you'll never be forgiven till your boys are too

It wasn't until much later in the day that it occurred to Hannibal that Jack had never called Will in to work, and they had recently solved a case, not opened a new one. So that was by the reason that Will had left. Hannibal wondered if he'd really wanted to be with him the evening before, or if he'd just used the older man because he was stressed.

And I'm still waking every morning but it's not with you

That evening, when Hannibal came home after his final appointment of the evening, he found Will waiting for him at his home. He was holding a bottle of wine and smiled when he saw Hannibal. 

The older man's heart fluttered in his chest at the sight of Will, but remembered that morning, and decided to be cautious. 

"Hello, Will."

"Hannibal," he said and when Hannibal got close enough, he wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

Will's sudden change in behaviour startled him, and he wondered if his predictions were wrong. But Hannibal was very rarely wrong.

They went inside together, and as soon as the door was closed, Will was on him again. 

Hannibal couldn't bring himself to stop the other man. He wanted him just as much as Will did, but just wanted it to be real. In the moment Hannibal couldn't stop himself. He let Will kiss him and touch him until Hannibal was doing the same, all worries forgotten.

You're dripping like a saturated sunrise

Hannibal, again, was the first one awake in the morning. Will was still fast asleep, and the older man knew for sure that he didn't have to work that day, so he decided to make breakfast.

Will woke up a half an hour later. He found the older man in the kitchen and, just as Hannibal had hoped, decided to stay.

"Good morning," Hannibal said, looking up from the food on the stove to the younger man.

"Morning," Will sounded exhausted still. Hannibal noticed that he looked washed out.

"How do you feel?" 

"Fine," Will said, coming around the counter and wrapping his arms around Hannibal's waist. His fingers fiddled with the other's shirt, beginning to untuck it, but Hannibal stopped him.

Taking both of Will's hands in his own, Hannibal turned to face the younger man, "What's on your mind?"

"You," Will said, leaning forward to kiss Hannibal, but the older man backed away.

"You haven't spoken to me since our first night together, Will. I know something is wrong, and this isn't going to help you."

"Then what do you want me to do?" Will freed himself from Hannibal's grasp and took a step back.

"Talk to me."

You're spilling like an overflowing sink

Will sighed, and Hannibal turned back to the food while he spoke, "I don't know what's going on. I'm losing time. I wake up in the middle of nowhere with no memory of how I got there, or why. I can't sleep at night, and when I do I have nightmares, or sleepwalk. Every time I close my eyes I see these killers, and I'm scared that one day I'll become one of them."

Hannibal was surprised at how open Will had been with him, he'd expected more resistance. 

"Perhaps you need to take some time off to clear your mind. In fact, I recommend it. You could return to your teaching post in the meantime, while we figure out how to prevent this."

"No."

"Will-"

"I can't! I'm saving lives, Hannibal!"

"At the risk of your own."

"I'm only one person. How many people have I saved over all this time? If I stop, more people are just going to die and I'm going to have to live with that."

"How many people will die if what you fear becomes real and you begin killing?"

You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece

Will didn't reply at first, he backed slowly away from Hannibal while avoiding his gaze. 

"I have to go," Will said, barely a whisper. 

Hannibal let him leave.

And now I'm tearing through the pages and the ink

As Hannibal watched him leave, it felt like Will had taken some of the older man's heart with him.

Everything is blue

The ringing of Hannibal's phone cut violently into his dreams and immediately pulled him away. He groaned, and rolled over in his bed to check the time. It was 3:23am. 

The only reason that Hannibal could think of for someone to be calling him this early in the morning, was if there was an emergency. As quickly as his still-half-asleep body would allow him, he flicked on his lamp and grabbed the phone on the bedside table.

"Hello?" He said after answering, his voice sounded almost like a croak.

"H-Hannibal?"

And he was suddenly wide awake.

"I was sleepwalking again. I woke up in the middle of nowhere," Will explained from the other end of the line. Hannibal could practically hear how cold he was. He caught Will's teeth chattering and knew that the younger man was trying to hide it. 

"Are you lost?" Hannibal sat up in bed.

"No, I know where I am now. But I'm not home yet."

"Just wait, I will be there soon," Hannibal said, knowing full well that it would be over an hour until he got to Will's house, and the most logical thing to do would be to stay on the phone with him, but he decided to go anyways.

"Thank you."

His pills, his hands, his jeans

Hannibal found Will curled up on the steps outside his house. He approached slowly and sat down beside him, but Will didn't acknowledge his presence. 

"Will?"

The younger man slowly lifted his head and looked at Hannibal. He was washed out, exhausted, hardly looking like himself. Hannibal wanted to cringe, but managed to control himself.

"Come inside," he said, taking one of Will's arms and helping him up. They didn't speak as Hannibal escorted him into the house. Will's eyes lit up when he was greeted by his dogs but other than that he didn't acknowledge them.

"Can you stand by yourself?"

"Yes," Will said, shaking off Hannibal's hand from his arm.

"Go have a shower, you're a mess," Hannibal told him. Will nodded.

The younger man returned ten minutes later in clean clothes, his hair was a wet, tangled mess but he didn't care. Hannibal helped him into bed without a word and sat on the side as Will made himself comfortable. 

"What were you dreaming about?" Hannibal asked once he was sitting still.

"Garett Jacob Hobbs. I saw him."

"Your hallucinations about Abigail's father have returned," Hannibal said more to himself than anyone else. "We need to stop this. Please, don't go into work tomorrow, you're only hurting yourself."

"Okay," Will said, but Hannibal didn't believe him. He was agreeing now because the fear was fresh, but by the time he woke tomorrow morning it wouldn't bother him. Hannibal knew.

"Promise me."

And now I'm covered in the colors   
Pull apart at the seams

"Wait," Will said, grabbing Hannibal's hand as he began to stand up. "Don't go."

Hannibal tilted his head in confusion, "Where would you like me to stay? There's no where else for me to sleep."

"Just... Just lie on top of the covers," Will suggested, moving over so there was more room for the other man on the bed.

Hannibal obliged. He took off his shoes and set them neatly beside the bed, before sitting on the covers beside Will and propping himself up against the headboard. Reaching to run his fingers through Will's dark, messy hair, the younger man shrunk away,and Hannibal decided that it would be best not to touch the other man unless asked. 

They spoke no more, as Will turned away from Hannibal and presumably fell asleep. Not wanting to be sound asleep if the younger man needed him again, Hannibal was wide awake throughout the whole night. Yet he was not tired at all.

And it's blue

"And how does that make you feel, Franklin?"

There was a sudden banging from outside Hannibal's office door and Will came crashing into the room. He collapsed onto the floor, but quickly pushed himself back up, stumbling and knocking over a few things.

Hannibal stood up from his seat across from his other patient, with whom he was mid-session.

"Will! What is going on?" Hannibal asked firmly.

"I need you," was all he'd said. 

Hannibal hadn't seen Will since two mornings ago, when he'd left before the younger man woke. He'd stayed the whole night with him, right up until 9am. From there he'd gone straight to the office, as he had an appointment at 10. He hadn't wanted to wake Will to say goodbye, so he'd just left, and had been meaning to call ever since. 

You were red

"I'm sorry, Doctor Lecter, but I don't understand."

"I'm sorry, Franklin, but we can continue our session another day. Will obviously needs my help more urgently than you do. Please accept my sincere apologies."

"Uh, okay," Franklin said, looking from Hannibal, to Will, and back to Hannibal again. He then left the office, slowly closing the door behind him, as if Hannibal might call him back.

Hannibal waited until he was certain that his other patient had gone before speaking to Will.

"It's rude to interrupt other patient's sessions, Will."

"I need you more," Will said, who had found a comfortable spot on the floor to sit. He was obviously drunk.

"What happened?"

And you liked me because I was blue

"I can't go home. I've already asked Alana to feed the dogs until... Until I can go back," Will explained.

"Why can't you go?" Hannibal asked.

"I have nightmares."

"And you thought you could come here to avoid them?"

"I don't have them when I'm sleeping at your house. I just don't."

"Will, I'm not-"

"I'm not asking you to do anything," Will clarified, "Just - please - take me home with you. I'll sleep in one of the guest rooms, I don't care. But I can't go home."

"Alright," Hannibal agreed, "Franklin was my last patient for the evening, we can leave straight away."

"Thank you."

But you touched me, and suddenly I was a lilac sky

"Here, have some food, it will soak up the alcohol," Hannibal said, pushing Will a sandwich on a plate. 

Will had just finished in the shower, and since they weren't allowed to return to his house, Hannibal had had to lend him some clothes. He looked stunning in Hannibal's red sweater and blue plaid pyjama bottoms. Not stunning like he would if he were dressed up properly, with a good suit and maybe if he ran a brush through his hair, but stunning in a way that someone who was really in love could see. The way the sweater hung loosely off his shoulders, his messy hair, the way he walked into the kitchen, all made Hannibal want to smile. Even his blue, which was only getting more washed out, was beautiful the way he wore it. 

"Thank you," Will said, taking the food.

"How do you feel?"

"Better."

"I'm sorry that you felt the way you did enough to start drinking. But I'm glad you came to me, even if it was in the middle of a session. It was an emergency, and if it ever happens again you needn't worry what I'm doing at work," Hannibal said. "I must go get the guest room ready for you."

"Don't worry about it. I can sort myself out."

"I insist. Finish eating then come find me."

Then you decided purple just wasn't for you

"Thank you, Hannibal," Will said, taking the older man by surprise.

"You finished eating?"

Will nodded.

"Well, I suppose I've done all that I can."

"Actually, if it's not an issue, could you stay for a bit," Will said, looking down at the floor.

"Of course. Would you rather I-"

"I would be more comfortable if you say in the chair beside the bed," Will said.

"Of course," Hannibal said, sitting down in the large, comfortable chair that sat beside the bed, usually used for reading. As soon as he'd sat down, Will turned off the lights and crawled into bed. 

It was another long, silent night for Hannibal, with nothing to keep him company but Will's peaceful breaths.

Everything is grey

"Hello? Jack? It's a Doctor Lecter calling about Will Graham. I've decided, based off of Will's recent behaviour, that it is not smart to be allowing Will to live on his own anymore. His encephalitis is only growing worse and I am concerned that if it goes unsupervised it could cause serious damage. I also believe that he would be more comfortable staying with me rather than a hospital. He has stayed in my guest room a few times before, and I am able to give him better care than a hospital might. Please have someone escort him to my home once he is finished helping you. I have no appointments today, so anytime is fine. Thank you. Goodbye."

His hair, his smoke, his dreams

Will kept a calm appearance as he walked into Hannibal's kitchen that evening, but the older man could tell that he was not happy. 

Hannibal had left the door unlocked so that Will could walk in whenever he wanted. He was cooking dinner for the two of them when Will walked into the kitchen, and when Hannibal's friendly smile was met with a hard glare, he knew that Will was not happy with the arrangements.

"Hello, Will." 

"What is this? Some scheme to get me back in your bed?" He spat.

"It's for your safety, Will. You can sleep in the guest bedroom just as you did last night. This is temporary," Hannibal explained, even though in his mind he was hoping that it wouldn't. 

"I don't need to be protected."

"You've proved to me over recent nights that you do."

Will didn't reply, he knew Hannibal was right, but he didn't want to be forced into it. More than anything he was embarrassed that it hadn't stayed between him and Hannibal, that now the FBI was aware of his breakdowns. He was angry, and he wanted his words to sting the older man, just as he'd stung Will. 

"I should have stayed with someone else. I should have stayed with Alana, she wouldn't have told the FBI on me like a child," Will said.

"Alana only would have done it sooner," Hannibal argued.

"No. No, I think you're just selfish, Doctor Lecter. You're in love with me and you couldn't stand the idea of me having my own life," Will began to raise his voice.

"I couldn't stand the idea of you suffering alone."

"I knew I shouldn't have let you in. You were a mistake and I was using you. You weren't supposed to fall for it. Fine, I'll live with you. I'll eat the food you make, I'll stay in your guest room, but don't come anywhere near me."

"Fine."

And now he's so devoid of color  
He don't know what it means

Hannibal was sitting up in bed, propped up by stacked pillows while he read. Besides the light coming from the lamp on the beside table, his room was dark. 

It was nearly midnight, and Hannibal couldn't sleep. His argument with Will was still echoing through the palace in his mind. Even as he read, which was usually something he was quite good at concentrating on, he couldn't focus at all. He read the words individually. Strung. Along. One. After. The. Other. Without. Meaning. He often found himself reading lines twice by accident. He often found himself reading lines twice by accident. Or seeing Will's words on the page instead of what was written.

So when the door to his room creaked slowly open, Hannibal immediately closed his book, not caring to finish the sentence or to mark his page.

"Will?"

"Uh, hi," Will said, he was standing in the doorway wearing a white t-shirt and blue boxer shorts. He approached quietly as Hannibal spoke.

"Are you okay?"

"I-I'm sorry for everything that happened earlier. I'm just..."

"Scared?"

Will didn't reply.

"You're forgiven, Will. I'm sorry for not consulting you before speaking to Jack. I was worried for your health. I understand that this must be a difficult time for you, and I understand that Jack might not be helping. But if you trust me, Will, I can help you. It will take time, and you will need to put just as much effort into this as I am, but you will heal."

Will nodded, "I didn't mean to say those things. I was using you, but that doesn't mean I don't care. You weren't a mistake, you are the best choice I ever made."

Hannibal smiled, "Would you like to stay with me."

Will nodded, "okay."

And he's blue

Hannibal moved himself over so that there was room for Will on the bed, and the other crawled under the silky covers next to him. He handed him one of the pillows he'd had stacked to prop himself up, and Will made himself comfortable. There was a warmth of contempt in Hannibal's chest at being in the same bed, and this time, under the same covers as Will. 

Reaching out to touch the other, Will stopped him. 

"I'm sorry," Will said, "I can't. It's just- I'm not-"

"Don't be sorry, Will. I understand," Hannibal moved his hand away from Will and moved himself a little bit further away from the other man on the mattress, just to ensure his comfort. 

He then reached for the light on the beside table, hit the switch, and the room fell into an eery darkness. The two of them didn't speak, but they were  both lulled by each other's breathing.

Will was asleep within minutes, but Hannibal wouldn't fall asleep for a very long time.

And he's blue

Hannibal was awoken at 6am by the cold. A light breeze came through the window he'd left open the night before, and he shivered. Blinking open his eyes, he was shocked to see what he did.

Will had stolen all the covers, but that's not what had surprised him. Hannibal had decided about 3 hours earlier that if it meant Will would sleep through the night, he could suffer through the cold. But no. The thing that has surprised Hannibal had nothing to do with Will's unconscious behaviour. 

Where there was usually a beautiful - yet washed out as of late - blue, there was nothing but grey. Where the light hit Will's skin, and radiating off him like body heat, the grey nearly blended in with the room around them. 

Everything is blue

Hannibal wondered - for the first time - if Will could be saved. Was it possible to come back after being so far gone?

Everything is blue

What would happen if Will slipped between Hannibal's fingers like steam, fading into the air?

Everything is blue

What if he laid back, closed his eyes, and waded into the quiet of the stream? 

Everything is blue


End file.
